Senior Scientist/Research Scientist - Biology

Company Description

Bicycle Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel class of medicines, referred to as Bicycle® molecules, for diseases that are underserved by existing therapeutics. Bicycle molecules are fully synthetic short peptides constrained with small molecule scaffolds to form two loops that stabilize their structural geometry. This constraint facilitates target binding with high affinity and selectivity, making Bicycle molecules attractive candidates for drug development. The company is evaluating zelenectide pevedotin (previously BT8009), a Bicycle® Toxin Conjugate (BTC®) targeting Nectin-4, a well-validated tumor antigen; BT5528, a BTC targeting EphA2, a historically undruggable target; and BT7480, a Bicycle Tumor-Targeted Immune Cell Agonist® (Bicycle TICA®) targeting Nectin-4 and agonizing CD137, in company-sponsored clinical trials. Additionally, the company is developing Bicycle® Radio Conjugates (BRC™) for radiopharmaceutical use and, through various partnerships, is exploring the use of Bicycle® technology to develop therapies for diseases beyond oncology. 

Bicycle Therapeutics is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with many key functions and members of its leadership team located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Culture is key and all Bicycle employees actively embrace and role model our company values:

• We are Adventurous. We believe it’s the way to deliver extraordinary results for our patients.
• We are Dedicated to our Mission. You can’t change the world if you don’t have determination. 
• We are One Team. We only succeed when we work together.

Job Description

We have an exciting new opportunity for a cancer biologist (research scientist/senior scientist, depending on level of experience) to join the Biology team (Therapeutics Department) within our Research Organisation. In this role, you will drive in vitro biology efforts to help deliver the next generation of Bicycle drug discovery programs. The successful candidate will contribute to the delivery of robust biology rationales and data packages assessing the mechanism of action of our Bicycle molecules in a range of biochemical and cellular assays.

Curiosity, strong communication skills, flexibility to adapt to business demands, and ability to efficiently work across the matrix are key for success in this role. This position is mainly lab-focused, with opportunities to innovate by implementing new technologies and developing assays to interrogate the pharmacological properties of Bicycle molecules as they progress from early hit identification towards candidate selection.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop cellular based assays to explore the functional pharmacology of Bicycle® molecules (e.g. cell binding, internalisation, linker cleavage) using a range of techniques (e.g. flow cytometry, luminescence, microscopy imaging)
• Generate robust biology data packages to support our project milestones.
• Critically interpret and present experimental data at internal and external partner meetings, including recommendations for progression and future directions.
• Interact and communicate effectively in a collaborative matrix environment involving cross-functional teams of chemists, discovery biologists, and translational scientists.
• Work to existing SOPs and risk assessments and contribute to generating new ones as appropriate.
• Ensure experiments are recorded accurately and diligently in electronic lab books and databases to allow efficient query, retrieval and decision making. Working with the database manager to add or improve functionality where necessary.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Educated in a biological sciences field with strong knowledge and hands-on research experience in oncology, with knowledge of drug discovery backed up by industrial research experience preferred.
• Strong cell culture experience and expertise in a range of laboratory techniques including, but not limited to, flow cytometry, molecular biology and microscopy.
• Strong interpersonal skills; effective communication with multidisciplinary teams both locally and remotely is essential
• Proactive approach to problem solving and strong self-motivation
• Excellent organisational skills and close attention to detail
• Diligence in documenting work and understanding of the importance of data integrity
• Good computing skills; proficiency with MS Office Suite.
• Oncology experience is also essential for this role.

Desirable:

• Experience in the field of Drug Conjugates (e.g. ADCs, Antibody fragments, peptides, small molecules) and/or radiopharmaceuticals.
• Experience in imaging, microscopy and histology techniques and analysis
• Experience in molecular biology techniques
• Isolation and use of human primary cells
• Experience interacting with CROs and/or academic-industry partnerships

Additional Information

• State-of-the-art campus environment with on campus restaurant and Montessori nursery
• Flexible working environment
• Competitive reward including annual company bonus 
• Employee recognition schemes
• 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays + option to buy up to 5 additional days annually
• Employer contribution to pension (employee does not have to contribute) 
• Life assurance cover 4x basic salary 
• Private Medical Insurance, including optical and dental cover. 
• Group income protection
• Employee assistance program
• Health Cash Plan
• Access to company subsidized gym membership.
• Eligibility for an option grant to subscribe to shares in Bicycle Therapeutics plc. 
• Cycle to work scheme 

Bicycle Therapeutics is committed to building a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. We recognize that diverse and inclusive teams build a stronger and more innovative company. Therefore, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability status, marital status, or veteran status.